The 2015–2017 Cycle: ETH’s First Major Growth
By this time, Bitcoin had already established its reputation as the first cryptocurrency and experienced several market cycles. ETH, launched in 2015, was just starting its journey. At the beginning of 2016, ETH traded around $1, but by the end of 2017, it soared to $1,400—an astonishing increase of over 100,000%. In comparison, BTC grew from approximately $400 to $20,000, marking a gain of around 5,000%.

Ethereum’s explosive growth was driven by:

The rise of ICOs (Initial Coin Offerings): Ethereum became the primary platform for token creation and fundraising, driving massive demand for ETH.
The novelty of smart contract technology, which unlocked new opportunities for decentralized applications.